Improving Prehension Skills of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Clinical Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to obtain preliminary data concerning the effectiveness of two treatment procedures—weight bearing on extended arms and passive trunk rotation—on the development of prehension skills. A multiple baseline across subjects, with reversal phases, research design was used. Measurement procedures were designed to be sensitive to small behavioral changes in the prehension skills of three children with spastic cerebral palsy. Eight movement components of reach, grasp, and release were measured. Prehension skills of all three subjects showed improvement as a result of weight bearing on extended arms. No measurable changes were observed as a result of passive trunk rotation. Results indicate that this type of measurement procedure is sensitive to the small behavioral changes seen frequently in the treatment of cerebral palsy.